Car hopper



Oct. 13, 1931. I M MARTIN 1,827,030

CAR HOPPER Filed Dec. 29, 1928 glvvue'n rof, Mark H- Mar/1'0 curement to the framing Patented Oct. 13, 1931 PATENT OFFICE MARK H. MARTIN,

0F READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR '10 BIRDSBORO STEEL FOUNDRY AND MACHINE COMPANY, OF IBIRDSBORO, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION OF PENNSYLVANIA GAR HOPPER Application. filed December 29, 1928. Serial No. 329,099.

My invention relates to car hoppers.

The principal object of my invention is to hopper 1n the form of a one piece including attaching means for seof a railway car, which shall provide a rigid, unyielding unit against the strains of operation and which shall generally strengthen the car structure.

A further object is the provision of a devise a casting,

hopper which cooperates with its door to effectively prevent the loss of the contained lading and which is arranged to maintain the serviceable fit of the door through protecting the latter and the cargo discharge opening against warping and other injuries.

A further object is the devising of a hopper of the character described which incorporates a special arrangement for preventing wear along the marginal edge of the discharge opening and which in general embodies features of design that are improvements on present practice.

In hopper car construction, it is customary to fabricate the hopper and to build the latter into the car during the latters assembly. This method involves extreme care to insure a proper fitting of the parts of the hopper to each other and to the car framing, since irregularities in the assembly affect the fitting and sealing of the hopper door and the functioning of the door operating mechanism. An arrangement of this nature is objectionable in the event of injury to the hopper, owing to the fact that its removal, or a portion thereof. frequently necessitates a partial dissemblagc of the adjacent car framework.

It is one of the principal objects of my in vention to overcome the foregoing disadvantages through providing a cast steel hopper which is attached bodily to the car framing. A hopper of this type is not only more resistant to moisture and corrosion than the fabricated unit, but it rigidifies the car structure in a critical location in a form which is susceptible of easy assembly. The margin of the discharge opening is specially shaped for protection against distortion and injury, insuring an adequate fit of the door at all times, while the adjacent portions of the door and opening cooperate in a particular manner to seal the hopper against the loss of the car lading. Other features include integral hinge lugs on the hopper and door, and integral bosses on these elements, respectively, for receiving the door locking mechanism and door bar.

These and further objects of my invention will be set forth in the following specification, reference being had to .the accompanying drawings, and the novel means by which said objects are effectuatedwill be definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of aportion of a hopper car showing my improved hopper ap plied thereto. i

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the hopper shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view 0 the structure looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fi 1. i

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section 0 the lower portion of the hopper at the discharge opening. Y

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5- 5 in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The numeral 10 represents my improved hopper generally which, for purpose of illustration, will be described as being of the type which is disposed on each side of the longitudinal axis of a hopper car. This hopper may be of any desired shape and the enclosing sides may have any relative angular disposition, prise a bottom, or chute, plate 11, sides 12 and front 13. The left and right hand sides 12, as viewed in Fig. 3, are formed with attaching flanges 14; and 15, respectively, by means of which, the hopper is carried by the side sill 16 and center sillv 17, respectively, the flange 14 being deeper than the flange 15 owing to the higher elevation of the side sill 16 and the inclination of the bottom plate 11. The upper edge of the front 13 is flanged as at'18 for securement to the intermediate slope sheet 19 which leads to the adjoining hopper and the upper edge of the bottom 11 is fash ioned for securement to the end slope sheet 20.

The lower edges of the bottom 11, sides 12,

but however formed, it will com-- 21 whose delivery'edge is beveled outwardly and downwardly as at 22 substantially as indicated by the line 38 in F ig. 4. The beveled portion 22 extends along the lower edges of the bottom 11 and sides 12. Stepped back from the outer edge of said beveled portion, the web 23 extends outwardly from said bottom and sides and forms therewith a marginal ridge 24c around said opening. A flange 25 is formed on the web 23, extending generally in the direction of the bottom 11 and forms with said web an enclosure for the door hereinafter described, in addition to strengthening and stifi ening the discharge opening. F or a purpose hereinafter explained, the depth of the flange 25 is made such that no portion thereof intersects the plane of the beveled portion 22.

Hinge lugs 26 are formed on the front 13 and flange 18 for carriage therebetween of hinge members 27 which are cast integral with a door 28. Said door may be strengthened by any desired number of ribs 29 and the aforesaid hinge members 27 are preferably disposed in alignment with certain of these ribs for reinforcement. The door 29 is generally T-shaped in section along its marginal edges and the inner flange 30 of said section being positioned in meshed relation to the ridge 24 when the door is closed, the crest of said ridge serving as a seat for the door and the latter being entirely received within the enclosure formed by the webs 23 and flanges 25.

A plurality of bosses 31 may be cast integral with the door 29, whereby the usual door bar 32 may be secured thereto. When said door is in a closed position, one end of said bar will be engaged by a latch 33 which is pivotally mounted on a boss 34 that is cast integral with the appropriate side 12. A pawl 35, also pivotally mounted on a similar boss 34, may be utilized to retain the latch 33 in looking position, with the entire locking arrangement retained Within the cover plate 36 which is also carried by said bosses. The door locking mechanism just described is to be considered as generally indicative of structures of this type, and in and of itself forms no part of my invention, being referred to only for the purpose of showing one arrangement of bosses which are integral with the hopper for the service of attachment. Other dispositions of the bosses may be adopted dependent upon the character of the door operating mechanism.

Ribs 37 may be formed in appropriate locations on the bottom and sides of the hopper to strengthen the hopper against the hazards of operation.

As already indicated, the hopper 10 is formed as a one piece casting which is united directly to the framing of the car and mate rially simplifying the work of assembly. If desired, the door 28 and the door operating mechanism may be fitted and applied to the hopper before the latter is secured to the car structure with manifest advantages as regards the assemblage of the entire car. The provision of bordering the discharge opening by means of the flange. 25 effectively stiifcns the discharge opening, protecting it against distortion and insuring a serviceable tit and adequate seat of the door 28. The latter funr tioning is further facilitated by the cooperative relation existing between the shapes of the discharge opening and of the door which results in an effectual seal of the former and a preventive of the loss of fine lading. \Vhen discharging, the lading will clear the outer edge of the flange 25, owing to the relative disposition of the latter and the beveled portion 22, and will therefore not wear this portion of the hopper.

A hopper of the foregoing type permits an elasticity in design which is not possible in the fabricated unit. for the metal of the casting may be disposed for the greatest strength, as contrasted with the relatively cumbersome, structural stiffening members necessary in the assembled hopper. and a cast hopper is capable of ready adaptation to varying widths and lengths of car bodies.

While I have shown one set of elements and combinations thereof for efi'ectuating my improved car hopper. it will be understood that the same is for the purpose of illustration only and in nowise to restrict the arrangement to the precise forms and structures shown. for many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

ll claim:

1. A car hopper comprising a bottom. sides. a cargo discharge opening defined by said bottom and sides. webs extending outwardly from the lower edges of said bottom and sides, and flanges on said webs offset from said opening to form therewith an enclosure for a door, said opening including a beveled surface along said bottom and sides lying in planes spaced Within the edges of said flanges.

2. A car hopper comprising a bottom. sides. a cargo discharge opening defined by said bottom and sides. a marginal ridge around said opening forming a door seat, webs extending outwardly from said bottom and sides and stepped back from said ridge, and flanges on said webs offset from said opening to form therewith an enclosure for a. door.

3. In a hopper car. the combination of a hopper having a cargo discharge opening. a flanged enclosure bordering said opening in spaced relation thereto, a door on said hopper scatcd within said enclosure and means on said hopper and door adapted to cooperate in meshed relation for sealing said opening.

4. ln a hopper car. the combination of a hopper having a cargo discharge opening, a

marginal ridge around said opening, a flanged enclosure bordering said opening in spaced relation thereto, and a door-seated within said enclosure having a marginal flange bordering said ridge to seal said opening when the door is in a closed position.

5. In a hopper car, the combination of a hopper having a cargo discharge opening, a marginal ridge around said opening, a flanged enclosure bordering said opening in spaced relation thereto, and a door comprising a marginal flange overlapping said ridge when I in closed position within said enclosure.

6. A car hopper comprising a bottom, sides, a cargo discharge opening included within said bottom and sides, and a flanged enclosure bordering said opening for receiv ing the hopper door in closed position, said opening including a beveled surface along said bottom and sides lying in planes spaced withinthe edges of said enclosure.

7. A car hopper comprising a bottom, sides, a cargo discharge opening included within said bottom and sides, webs extending out-- wardly from the lower edges of said bottom and sides, and flanges on said webs offset from said opening to form therewith an enclosure for a door, said opening including a beveled surface along said bottom and sides lying in planes spaced within the edges of said flanges.

8. A car hopper comprising a bottom, sides, a cargo discharge opening included within said bottom and sides, a marginal ridge around said opening forming a door seat, and a flanged enclosure bordering said opening for receiving the hopper door in closed position.

9. A car hopper comprising a bottom, sides,

a cargo discharge opening included within said bottom and sides, a marginal ridge around said opening forming a door seat, webs extending outwardly from said bottom and sides and stepped back from said ridge, and flanges on said webs offset from said opening to form therewith an enclosure for the door.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MARK H. MARTIN, 

